Latest news with #BarryReid
Irish Independent
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
See photos as return of Craic in the Granite festival rocks Aughrim crowds
Kicking off on Friday with the debut of a new art exhibition at the Kunstverein, and music from The Rebel Souls and Bruiser on a marquee stage next to Aughrim's iconic monument, children danced and played chase on Main Street, while parents (and grandparents) came out in droves to soak up the summer heat and festivities, which were set to a soundtrack of reggae, rock and trad by talent from across the Garden County. The festival reached fever pitch on Saturday, with a full day of events being held at the Aughrim Pavilion, where gold panning, a sensory tent, and some explosive science experiments were part of the children's entertainment. Musicians such as Settle the Scór and Dogpond played to much fanfare from the audience, while a dramatic Irish mythology performance from CandleLit Tales had Aughrim enraptured. Following two days of good weather and great attendance, with some visitors coming from as far as Drogheda, festival director Barry Reid and musical director Tristan McCall brought this years festival – which seems set to become a mainstay of the Wicklow summer calendar – to a close, thanking attendees and reminding them: 'Same time, same place next year!'.
Irish Independent
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Craic in the Granite Festival bowled over by Credit Union's generous donation
Festival director Barry Reid, secretary Laura Brennan, and treasurer Tristan McCall recently accepted the cheque for €1,200 on behalf of the festival committee from Agata Szymanska at the Aughrim branch of the Credit Union. Overjoyed by the donation, Barry said it was wonderful to see groups like Arklow Credit Union funding local initiatives to promote the community's musical and artistic talents, adding: 'We're delighted that they see merit in our efforts and believe in what we are trying to achieve. 'An established CLG, operated by volunteers from Aughrim, Craic in the Granite Music & Arts Festival (CITG) aims to nurture County Wicklow's interest and engagement with music and the arts with a strong emphasis on children's cultural education. "The festival committee would also like to thank Wicklow County Council, The Arts Council and Wicklow County Arts Office for their support.' Boasting something for all ages, CITG 2025 will feature an exhibition by Kunstverein Aughrim's photographer-in-residence Eslam Abd El Salam, performances from reggae/ska group The Rebel Souls and Alt-rock group Bruiser, children's entertainment and scientific education by The Mad Scientist, along with Irish music performances by the Anne Devlin CCE, Settle the Scór, and a stripped-back acoustic set from Dublin's Indie darlings Dogpond. There will be a children's clay workshop by local ceramic artist Christien van Bussel, live retellings of Irish mythology classics set to original music by Candlelit Tales, a children's circus performance by Stefan Petrov and an all-day bowling exhibition and competition hosted by Aughrim's Bowling Club, where local teams will pit themselves against each other to win the 'Craic in the Granite Perpetual Bowling Trophy'. The festival is free for everyone to attend, with no tickets needed. Workshops are also free, but must be pre-booked through the festival's website – – where a full schedule of events can be found.
